A South African court has granted prosecutors leave to appeal the culpable homicide conviction of disgraced athlete Oscar Pistorius.

The decision by judge Thokozile Masipa has opened the door for the prosecution to seek a murder conviction against Pistorius for the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

“I cannot say the prospect of success at the Supreme Court is remote,” Judge Masipa said in granting the appeal.

“I am also of the view … this might have a practical effect. The application therefore … is decided in favour of the applicant.”

But the judge refused leave to appeal against the five-year sentence imposed on the sprinter.

Prosecutors welcomed the outcome.

“Our argument was that he should have been convicted of murder and then would have been sentenced to a minimum sentence of 15 years,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Nathi Ncube.

“That is of course what we would like to happen.”

Pistorius said he shot Ms Steenkamp four times through a locked toilet door on Valentine’s Day last year in the belief she was an intruder.